Despite strict prohibition on handling flammable items in railway station premises, the restricted areas of Belapur railway station compound are witnessing illegal food preparation and sale using gas cylinders. Allegations have surfaced that officials from CIDCO's encroachment department receive financial benefits, allowing this unsafe practice to continue unabated.

Citizens are now raising serious questions about the apparent inaction of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) encroachment department, which is responsible for curbing such illegal activities. Concerns have intensified, with many fearing that authorities might only take action after a catastrophic incident, such as a gas cylinder explosion.

The issue is not limited to Belapur; unauthorized hawkers are reportedly operating at railway stations across the city, including Vashi, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli, Airoli, Turbhe, Nerul, and Sanpada. In these areas, open use of gas cylinders for cooking is rampant, creating significant safety risks.

In sectors 9 and 10 of Vashi, as well as other municipal nodes, citizens have observed the widespread use of gas cylinders for unauthorized food preparation, raising concerns about lax enforcement by the municipal encroachment department and local police.